Carl Wiens

http://www.carlwiens.com/retroroborama.html

Iv posted the link above cos you cant copy and paste from the website. I emailed him just cos of this series of designs; stylistically its nothing like my work, but i loved the idea of these robots being made out of various mechanical / metal objects, & its given me the idea of actually making things in 3d from found objects, rather than creating them digitally like hes done. I dont even particularly like the rest of his work, though i found it interesting how his career has so far covered pretty much every area of design. Heres the answers to the questions i sent him:

1. I love the Retroroborama series, did this come from a brief or is it a self initiated project? If so, where did the idea come from and where do you intend to use them?

The Retroroborama is self-initiated. I collect a lot of dusty old magazines, catalogs and books. I wanted to utilize the images that I connect with. I have always been fascinated by science and see a certain beauty in diagrams. Exploring personal work like this can open up unseen opportunities. It also drives my work and can lead to new styles and techniques. It’s important to keep creative energy flowing and move in new directions. That’s why I developed this series. I am sure it will lead to something down the road. Last week I received a call from Newsweek magazine. The cover editor mentioned the style of the pieces in reference to a cover assignment.

2. I read on your website that you have designed labels for beer and winemakers, this sounds like a great job! I was wondering how did you go about getting it, or did they approach you?

The beer labels were a favorite. I received a call from an independent brewer after a local newspaper featured my work. I play hockey with him once a week now. An interesting, fun and challenging assignment. Shortly after that project a number of local wineries opened up and I was able to get work based on the beer labels. I didn’t receive much in terms of pay for these assignments but it was personally rewarding to develop these projects and work closely with the people involved.

3. When (and if) I start working as an illustrator, id ideally like to be working for clients all over the world, im interested in Canada particularly because I loved Toronto when I visited, I have family there and would love an excuse to go back! Do you have any advice on the industry over there?

As an illustrator, location is no longer much of an issue. I started out in the Toronto area, an back then I trotted my portfolio around (20 years ago). I don’t deal with clients face to face as most of the work I get is commissioned over the phone or via email. If you want to target Canada, send out postcards to the people you’d like to work with.

(Toronto is a great city, but personally I always found it much easier to develop clients in New York)

4. Have you noticed this recession having any effect on the world of illustration?

So far – not much - I am still getting regular work from my steady clients, although things have slowed down a bit. Sometimes getting paid takes a bit longer. In the long run, I don’t expect to make nearly as much over the next couple of years. When I started out, the economy was in a big rut. I’ve been through these cycles before. I will just ride it out. I am worried about the publishing industry – newspapers are losing a lot of money right now and some big clients might go under. I hope that they can find a way to survive this downturn.

Juan Carlos Federico

Heres the answers iv got back from Juan Carlos Federico, i think hes misunderstood one of the questions a bit cos of the language, but i plan to follow this up anyway.

Hello,
I am a third year undergraduate studying Illustration at Stockport college (near Manchester, England). I noticed your work on the IllustrationMundo website, and i love the metal creatures you have designed - its really inspired something im doing in my final major project. I was wondering if you would mind me asking you a few short questions? I realize that you must be quite busy but id be really grateful if you could spare a few minutes.
Thanks, Jenny Reed.

Hi Jenny!
It will be a great pleasure to answer your questions.
Only I warn you that my Tarzan-English is very limited. I hope you understand :)
Moreover, the questions should be in writing, because my oral English is almost nothing :(
Have a nice day!
Juan

Hello Juan, how are you?
Thanks for getting back to me. Your English is much better than my Argentinian! I have attatched the questions to this email, just send them back to me when you have time. Cheers again!
Jenny

Hi Jenny!
Here are my answers.He joined the 2 and 3 in oneI remain at your disposal for any question. I wish you good luck with your final major project!!
Cheers, Juan

1. I love the metal creatures on your website, have you actually made them in 3d or did you just photograph each part and put them together digitally?
I do not do 3D drawings. They are digital assemblage (Collage / Object resignification), from fragments of photographs and textures

2. Was this a brief given to you, or is it a project you invented yourself? If so, what do you plan to do with them next?
3. What influenced you to work in this way?
I became involved in illustration in two stages: the first one 12 years ago as part of my teaching activity. In those years I devoted many time to the writing of theoretical essays about design and I tried to apply those principles in the workshops with professors and students. I was interested in verifying how theory could be applied to the composition of a visual piece.
This became an exercise where the objective for the students was to make the portrait of a character and the technique pre determined was collage/ assemblage.
It wasn’t the technique that I cared about, but the strategy used to choose the pieces (images or part of them), in a way that by yuxtapositioning them, they became completely different from its individual parts. The practical work implied a “mise en scène” of a group of objects related directly or not with the character. The assembling of these objects should be able to produce a new discourse telling a story about the character that a caricature or a photograph could not tell.
Some of the illustrations I show today date back from these years. I just made them as an exercise before the other professors in my team so that they could guide our students through the process. Later, I gave up teaching and illustrating. I devoted 100 % of my time to corporate image projects.

The second stage connected to illustration began a few years ago, partly as a game with my son Joaquin, aged 7. Sometimes he comes to my studio in the evenings since last year, when he started primary school. We have fun composing imaginary characters. He can’t deal with the Photoshop yet, but he actively participates in the choice of objects, in the photo production and he also enjoys naming the characters.

This year I have written and illustrated a book for children which will probably be published soon. I have also finished another one and looking for a publisher.
I have also developed an educational illustrated game of cards (http://algebranos.com.ar) which I will try to have it published.
e than a decade ago. I am currently finishing two other books, one for children and one for teenagers. I have also started to illustrate them. But sometimes it’s the other way around and the illustrations determine the stories.

In the long run, I am starting a pending activity: sculpture. I have been filing sketches, which will resemble the final works, and I will make them out of metal, pieces that I have been keeping and documenting in photos (the same photos that I use to create my preliminary works.)

4. Have you noticed any difference in the amount of work you have been getting as a freelance illustrator since the global recession?
The global recession has not affected me yet. But I guess I feel its impact in the short term. It will be a good time to apply creativity.

Biddy Maroney

I emailed this illustrator mainly just for the one piece, above. I found it online, & tho i work in a very different way, I love the way hes used fabric as a texture and the richness of the colours, also the pattern in the background adds a further decorative element to the piece. Im eager to find out more about illustration in other countries so thats another reason for contacting him. Heres the answers to the questions i sent:

1. I particularly like a piece of yours called ‘silver spangled Andalusian’, I was wondering what techniques have you used in this piece?

Thankyou, that one is almost completely digital.
I drew the chicken with ink and a brush so I could use some of the inky lines for its feathers. (I didn’t end up using the outline of the bird in the end though, just some of the feathers) I used the brush and ink stuff as layers of texture in Photoshop, mixed in with a lot of fabric and string that I scanned in, and found photos (the birds eye and cricket balls) I drew the text, and various lines in Photoshop with a Wacom.

2. In the last few months, since this global recession, have you noticed any difference in the design industry, for example in the amount of work you get?

Between the stuff I do through the Jacky Winter agency and the stuff I do with my partner as Webuyyourkids I’ve been flat out working for the last two years and haven’t noticed any change to this recently. But it’s hard to say as I’ve only been with the agency 18 months, and WBYK is also relatively new – so I’m lucky to be involved with growing businesses which keep getting busier. I have heard that budgets are tighter though, so I’m now very wary of turning down work.

3. Are most of your jobs within Australia, or do you get work from other countries via the internet? If so, where, and do you notice much difference between the type of work coming from different countries?

Pretty much all the work we do as Webuyyourkids is from within Australia, and that is a huge percentage of my work. The Jacky Winter Group is different though – the initial point of the agency was to get Australian illustrators working with overseas clients – so I’ve done a fair few things for US clients through that now, who would never have known I existed without my agent. It’s been mainly editorial illustrations for American magazines, but theres also been jobs for Australian clients through JW as well – mainly Australian advertising agencies. I guess they are just the sorts of companies that have reacted well to whats in my portfolio. I couldn’t say there was any trend I could pick to do with the different countries or anything.

4. What have been the main influences on your style of illustration?

I love to draw in brush and ink but lately have been doing so much digitally – drawing with the Wacom straight into the computer and then layering textures in Photoshop. I do like black murky inky things so I guess that’s a big influence. Working with Sonny as Webuyyourkids has influenced me heaps as I’m usually working as a duo so Im being infuenced by his style which is so much more clear and uncluttered and he has great compositional skills I’m trying to learn from. I like a lot if kitchy spooky things. Being able to rework things / correct things / compile different things on the computer is seriously the biggest influence on how I work though. Other illustrators I love are Shary Boyle, Raymond Pettibon, Charles Burns, Steak Mountain, Milton Glaser, Alan Aldridge, Zeloot, Edward Gorey and I love Tim Burton too. And old movie.

Anthony Ventura

Heres a reply from another contact, i love his work although its totally different to mine, i emailed him more to find out a little about the industry abroad, in this case Toronto. This is the reply i got;

Hey Jenny ,
Here's the answers to your questions. I hope I answered them OK.
If you ever have any more questions or need any advice on being an Illustrator, feel free to drop me a line and I'll
pretend to know something ;).
Thanks and best of luck to you with your future endeavors.
Anthony.

1. I love the series of ‘Skullshire girls’, I was wondering did this come from a
brief given to you, or is it a self initiated project? If so, where did the idea
come from, and what is the next stage for them?

It’s a self initiated project. The Skullshire Girls was a result of me wanting to
keep busy and try new things. Sometimes as artists, we hit a wall, and are not sure
of what to do next. I wanted to create something that I always had something to
do a drawing or a painting for in between other projects. Basically The Skullshire
Girls are an empty palette for me to have fun with. The idea and name was a spur
of the moment thing based on a few illustrations I had already done.
As far as the next stage, nothing is really planned for the girls. What I’d like to
see done, is after I have created a large body of work dedicated to them, I’d like to
see maybe a book collecting all the pictures and paintings and whatever else I’ve
come up with for these hags. Ultimately my true dream for the girls would to see
them made into a line of collectable toys, but I don’t even know where to start
with half the stuff I come up with so that’s a pipe dream right now!

2. I love the dark atmosphere in your work, can you tell me what influenced
this style?

Others describe my work as dark, but I have never seen it that way. My style just
came naturally, nothing was ever really preconceived about it. I just kept drawing
and painting and the work kept, and still is evolving. I think artists and illustrators
have to always challenge themselves and try new things, or else what’s the point.
The funny thing is, right now, my favourite art is usually more graphic and
colourful. These days I tend to enjoy the designs of animation and graphic design
more so than a lot of the painting and illustration I see.
There are times I look at others art more than I work on my own, and I really
think it helps to stay inspired and motivated. I like to tell people be influenced by
everything around you, but never copy it. Let it get into the subconscious, and
then it will truly influence what you do.

3. In the last few months, since this global recession, have you noticed any
difference in the design industry, or do you think its over exaggerated by the
media? (Im a little concerned to be graduating in the middle of a recession)

I’ve noticed that when the word recession is used, the work does slow down a
little. It’s usually in the beginning until the media focuses on something else. The
problem right now is, the bulk of good work comes from the US and things are
bad there right now so I have noticed a slow down. After 9/11, it was pretty bad.
But again, the entire art field is a rollercoaster ride. Sometimes it’s way up, other
times it’s way down. You have to be creative in the way you market yourself
almost just as much as you are in your work. I still have problems when it comes
to getting my work out there. As an artist I’d rather be drawing than sending out
promos and making mailing lists. Unfortunately, it is a necessary evil.

4. When (and if) I start working as an illustrator, id ideally like to be working
for clients all over the world, im interested in Canada particularly because I
loved Toronto when I visited, I have family there and would love an excuse to
go back! Do you have any advice on the industry over there?

Most of the work I have done is from the US. Canada is a very small market, with
only about 3-4 major cities and way to many artists, lol. But, it would be the same
as marketing yourself elsewhere, we have lots of Magazines, Ad agencies, Design
studios, it’s just a matter of reaching them at the right time. I think the biggest
problem for me is, Canadian companies tend to pay a lot less than US companies
for the same work. I think that’s why I tend to focus on the US Market. It’s really
expensive to market yourself, so you want a good return on your investment. Pay
attention to your audience too, I’ve notice my work is very well received in
Europe, especially Spain, so I’m trying to figure out ways to tap into that market
too…That’s the thing with this business, your always learning.

Anna Maria Lopez

I found this illustrator on the illustrationmundo site, i love the pop art influenced style of these examples, theres some better stuff on her website but you cant copy & paste from it...

http://www.anna-om-line.com/english.htm

Further down the page theres some examples of how shes printed some work onto fashion accessories like wallets & belts, it looks pretty good i thought. Iv emailed her anyway, so hopefully ill hear back from her in the next few days...

Thanks for finding this Jo, iv emailed Kate and shes sent me some really helpful advice...


1. Where do you find all the different paper used in your work?

I think I began just by collecting envelopes and using the different patterns inside (there are so many!). I also use things like paper bags and patterns I find in magazines. Actually now I just can’t throw any paper away, I’ve got bags of it - old shopping lists, chocolate wrappers, leaflets. I did quite a lot of mono-printing while I was at uni to get big sheets of flat colour for backgrounds. This worked really well because the prints came out covered with tiny white dots – perfect for night skies! Or occasionally I do paint sheets of paper with acrylic. Gardening magazines are also good!



2. When you graduated, what was the first thing you did to begin your career?

Well, I was lucky because I had interest from publishers who had seen my work at the London degree show and at D&AD New Blood. This meant I already had people to see as soon as I graduated, which was great because it then gave me the confidence to approach others. Having a website was also useful, even though mine is really simple and to begin with only contained work from my portfolio. Even having a blog or something would work I think, if it was clearly a kind of portfolio.



3. Do you have an agent, or do you promote your own work? If so, what have you found to be the most successful method of self promotion?

No, I don’t have an agent, although I did contact a few on graduating and it’s definitely something I would consider. I try to promote my own work, which has so far meant emailing lots and lots of publishers. Having said that, not many reply! I think it’s really important not to be discouraged by that. Luckily, I’ve had positive responses from the few who have. Going to see people with my portfolio has probably been the most beneficial thing for me and I really enjoy it too! I get a lot of feedback and ideas for things they would like to see me do. They’re often quite happy to be used in the same way as a tutor at university and then you can just email them things you’re working on. This does depend on what area of illustration you want to pursue though, because for editorial work for instance, I think having a website is probably as useful and you don’t need to see people as much. Web presence is obviously a fantastic way of showing your work. I’ve found IllustrationMundo a brilliant resource and also having a blog, because I can update that much more quickly than my website!


4. Alot of your work seems to be based around nature or animals, a subject which inspires me more than anything else. I was wondering if you had any advice as to where to look for work on this theme?

You know, I’ve never actually thought about that! It’s actually really obvious isn’t it? I suppose it’s being a country girl at heart! That’s quite a difficult question. The really easy (and not at all useful) answer is everywhere! It depends what area you would like to go into. If it’s more editorial then just go to Borders (or newsagent of your choice!) and look through the magazines, find where you think your work might fit, write down the art director’s name from the front and ring them up/ send samples. I say this as though it’s something I’ve actually done, which I haven’t! It’s something one of my tutors at uni always said we should do, because you often find magazines you never would have thought of. Of course children’s books often deal with these themes/settings and publishers I’ve met say that mostly their illustrators are known for either doing animals or people because they’re usually better at one than the other, so this is an area where you naturally pursue your area of interest. While it’s good to have a wide portfolio, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being identified with a certain subject/theme. I don’t know if you’ve seen Rob Ryan’s work, but he came and gave a talk at Kingston and basically said that everything he does has trees/birds/bells in! He does quite a lot of book jackets and… well everything really, so it seems to work for him. He’s definitely worth looking at anyway, one of the illustrators I first looked at when I started cutting things out and just shows you that there aren’t really any boundries with where illustration can be used. Although if you are doing more 3D work you do have to think about where it will fit. I used to make all these chaotic structures and then tutors would tell me I had to get it photographed to see how it would work flat. The photography/printing side of things took me so long to get right, and it’s still something I find difficult. When I’ve been working on something really big and 3D for ages, it doesn’t always look how I expected printed out flat.

I really haven’t answered that question have I? I will let you know if I think of anything better… Honestly, I did a project where I had to contact people for advice last March! It’s so strange to have someone ask me these things. It was useful though, so I hope I’ve helped a little bit - it’s lovely to be asked!